leaf-cutting ant

leaf-cutting ant
/leef"kut'ing/
any of several tropical American ants of the genus Atta that cut and chew bits of leaves and flowers into a mash that they use to cultivate a fungus garden.
[1870-75]

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • leaf-cutting ant — ˈ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ noun Etymology: leaf cutting from leaf (I) + cutting, present participle of cut : any of several chiefly tropical American ants of the genus Atta that cut and carry off the leaves of plants which they use in culturing various fungi …   Useful english dictionary

  • leaf-cutting ant — noun A leaf cutter ant …   Wiktionary

  • leaf-cutting ant — noun see leaf cutter …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • texas leaf-cutting ant — noun Usage: usually capitalized T : a leaf cutting ant (Atta texana) that is sometimes a destructive defoliator in Texas and Louisiana …   Useful english dictionary

  • leaf-cutter ant — noun Any of the 41 species of ants in the genera Atta and Acromyrmex, that cut fragments from leaves and takes them to its colonys nest. Syn: leaf cutting ant …   Wiktionary

  • ant — antlike, adj. /ant/, n. 1. any of numerous black, red, brown, or yellow social insects of the family Formicidae, of worldwide distribution esp. in warm climates, having a large head with inner jaws for chewing and outer jaws for carrying and… …   Universalium

  • leaf cutter — noun 1. : leaf cutting ant 2. or leaf cutter bee : leaf cutting bee …   Useful english dictionary

  • ant — n pismire, hymenopteron, hymenopter, Chiefly Dial. emmet, Latin, formica, Fr. fourmit Span, hor miga; red ant, agricultural ant, harvester ant, leaf cutting ant; foraging ant, army ant, driver ant, legionary ant; carpenter ant, white ant, termite …   A Note on the Style of the synonym finder

  • leaf-cutter — noun Date: 1870 any of various chiefly tropical American ants (genus Atta) that cut and carry off the leaves of plants which they use in culturing fungi for food called also leaf cutting ant …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Ant — For other uses, see Ant (disambiguation). Ants Temporal range: 130–0 Ma …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”